Formed mat

ABSTRACT

A formed mat has a high elastic non-woven body and a thermoplastic resin sheet layered on the non-woven body, the non-woven body having high elasticity, a superior shape recovery performance, and sufficient cavities and thickness, thereby acting to heighten sound absorption performance, the resin sheet having non-permeability of air, thereby acting to heighten sound isolation performance. The high elastic non-woven body is 3.0mm or more in thickness, 300g/m 2  or more in weight per unit area, and less than 0.20g/cm 3  in density.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a formed mat which is thermoformed soas to have a shape following the inside of a room of an automobile, forexample a floor, and is fitted so as to follow the inside of the room.

BACKGROUND ART

Various types of mats fitted in rooms of automobiles have beenconventionally used as interior trim to decorate floors of the rooms orthe like. It is often required that an interior trim material to befitted in the inside of a room of an automobile is made to a form of aformed mat which is formed into a shape following the inside of the roomof the automobile. Among these formed mats, because a floor of anautomobile often has comparatively large uneven portions, it is requiredthat deep-draw-forming is given to a formed mat especially to be fittedon the floor. Many formed mats fitted on floors are conventionallytufted carpets or needle punched carpets and have thermoformingperformance by backing the formed mats with thermoplastic resin having alow melting point or by containing low melting point thermoplastic resinfibers in the formed mats.

Further, in case of a formed mat especially fitted on a floor of anautomobile among formed mats, because a ratio of a fitting area of theformed mat to an area of the whole internal surface of a room of theautomobile is large, the formed mat is required to have soundperformance for keeping the room of the automobile quiet, that is, soundabsorption performance and sound isolation performance. This soundabsorption performance denotes a function for absorbing sound wavesexisting in the room of the automobile and making the room quiet. Toobtain this performance, a porous and multi-opening structural body isappropriate, and it is preferable to enlarge a volume (or thickness) ofthe body. In contrast, the sound isolation performance denotes afunction for lowering noises (road noises or the like) entering from theoutside of the automobile into the room through a floor panel of theautomobile. To obtain this performance, a non-porous and high densitystructural body is appropriate.

As described above, a formed mat is required to have both high soundabsorption performance and high sound isolation performance. Therefore,it is considered that a formed mat is formed into layers of a porous andmulti-opening structural body having superior sound absorptionperformance and a non-porous and high density structural body havingsuperior sound isolation performance. Particularly, it is preferablethat a structural body having superior sound isolation performance isdisposed on the outside of an automobile, and a structural body havingsuperior sound absorption performance is disposed on the inside of theautomobile so as to have a considerably large volume as a thickstructural body.

Technical art relevant to the invention of the present application isdisclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 238967/96 andJapanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-178816.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a formed mat which isformed into layers of a non-porous and high density structural bodyhaving superior sound isolation performance and a porous andmulti-opening structural body having superior sound absorptionperformance and a considerably large thickness and simultaneously hassuperior forming performance, superior cushion performance, superiorsound absorption performance and superior sound isolation performance.

In order to achieve this object, a formed mat according to the presentinvention comprises a high elastic non-woven body and a thermoplasticresin sheet layered on a back surface of the high elastic non-wovenbody. The high elastic non-woven body is 3.0 mm or more (morepreferably, 5.0 mm or more) in thickness, 300 g/m² or more (morepreferably, 400 g/m² or more) in weight per unit area, and less than0.20 g/cm³ in density. The thermoplastic resin sheet is thinner than thehigh elastic non-woven body.

In this configuration, due to the high elastic non-woven body which hasa low density resulting in sufficient cavities inside thereof and asufficient thickness, high sound absorption performance can be obtained.Further, due to the thermoplastic resin sheet which has non-permeabilityof air, sound isolation performance can be obtained. As a result, aformed mat superior, as a whole, in both sound absorption performanceand sound isolation performance can be obtained.

Further, as described above, there are large uneven portions in a panelof an automobile, especially a floor panel. To produce a formed mathaving a shape which follows this panel, a portion of the formed mat isextended largely, or deep-draw-forming in a three dimensional shape isperformed. Therefore, in a prior art, a porous and multi-openingmaterial having sound absorption performance, which is formed so as tohave a large volume or a great thickness, easily generates wrinklesand/or traces of folding in a forming process. In consideration ofdesign, in the prior art, the material cannot be applied to a floorhaving a shape of large unevenness. In contrast, in the presentinvention, because the high elastic non-woven body described above isused as a material giving sound absorption performance to a formed mat,the formed mat can be formed so as to hardly generate such wrinkles ortraces of folding. Accordingly, a formed mat according to the presentinvention can preferably be used for a floor having a shape of largeunevenness.

Here, in the present invention, high elasticity in a non-woven bodydenotes a high recovery percentage of the body in shape againstdeformation such as bending or compression. As a yardstick of suchelasticity, inventors of the present invention have found out thatrecovery percentage in a test of 180-degree folding can be preferablyused. It is preferable that a recovery percentage in this folding testof the formed mat according to the present invention is 70% or more.Generation of wrinkles and/or traces of folding can be effectivelysuppressed, a forming performance can become suitable, and a formed mathaving superior cushion performance can be obtained by making the formedmat have high elasticity of such a value. Moreover, because a highelastic non-woven body has high balkiness, the formed mat also havingsuperior heat insulating performance can be obtained.

Further, as another yardstick of elasticity, recovery percentage againstcompression deformation can be used. Preferably, a formed mat accordingto the present invention has a recovery percentage of thickness (basedupon JIS L 1096-1999) of 90% or more after a load of 1000 g/cm² per unitarea is applied to the formed mat for five minutes.

Elasticity of a formed mat can be heightened to the above-describeddegree by devising a raw material of a high elastic non-woven bodyand/or a machining process thereof. As a specific example, it ispreferable that a high elastic non-woven body of a formed mat accordingto the present invention is a needle punched non-woven body whichcontains regular polyester fibers of 50 to 99% by weight and polyestertype low melting point fibers of 1 to 50% by weight, the regularpolyester fibers having a fiber diameter of 3 to 15 dtx and a length of40 to 120 mm, the polyester type low melting point fibers having a fiberdiameter of 3 to 12 dtx and a length of 40 to 90 mm.

At this time, by using, as a regular polyester, two or more types offibers having different fiber diameters, for example, a function forpreventing wrinkles and/or heightening wear resistance can be given tofibers of larger diameter, and a function for forming a close textureand preventing a formed mat from being transparent can be given tofibers of smaller diameter. In this way, a formed mat, which can satisfymany requirements, can be obtained.

Further, because a high elastic non-woven body often receives frictionwith an occupant of a vehicle, it is preferable that a surface layerhaving wear resistance is formed at a surface of the non-woven body. Atthis time, when fibers constituting the surface layer of wear resistancehave a color tone different from fibers constituting other portions ofthe needle punched non-woven body, a decorative pattern can be given toa surface of the formed mat by partially taking out the fibersconstituting the other portions of the needle punched non-woven body tothe surface layer, and thereby a design performance can be improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view schematically showing configuration of aformed mat according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing sound pressure measured in an automobile inwhich a formed mat in a fabrication example of the present invention anda comparative example is fitted.

FIG. 3 is a schematical view showing a method of a formed mat foldingtest.

FIG. 4 is a graph showing a recovery percentage against folding which ismeasured by performing a folding test for both a formed mat of thefabrication example of the present invention and a formed mat of thecomparative example.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Formed mat 10 according to this embodiment can be used by fitting themat on a door panel, a luggage panel, a dash panel, a roof panel, andthe like as well as a floor panel of an automobile. FIG. 1 is asectional view showing formed mat 10 fitted on panel 5 of an automobile.

As shown in FIG. 1, formed mat 10 is fitted on panel 5 through feltlayer 4 which is optionally fitted between panel 5 and formed mat 10 asa buffer. Preferably, felt layer 4 is 10 to 50 mm in thickness. Though amaterial used as a buffer is not limited to felt, it is preferable thata material having sound absorption performance similar to felt is used.

Formed mat 10 has thin thermoplastic resin sheet 3 which faces feltlayer 4 and has a function for heightening sound isolation performance.And then, high elastic non-woven body 1 for heightening sound absorptionperformance is layered as an upper most layer facing an inside of anautomobile. Wear resistance surface layer 2 suppressing wear is formedon a surface of high elastic non-woven body 1.

Hereinafter, configuration of each portion is described in more detail.

Configuration of Each Portion

Twining fibers of small diameter together by needling forms high elasticnon-woven body 1 which has a structure of low density and many cavitiesand has a sufficient volume, that is, sufficient thickness. Thereby, asound wave absorption performance of the body 1 is heightened. Asdescribed above, to accomplish a main object, that is, to heighten soundabsorption performance and to enable sufficient absorption of soundwaves existing in a room of an automobile during the running of theautomobile, used high elastic non-woven body 1 is formed to be 3.0 mm ormore (more preferably, 5 mm or more) in thickness, 300 g/m² or more(more preferably, 400 g/m² or more) in weight per unit area, and lessthan 0.20 g/cm³ in density.

Further, it is required that high elastic non-woven body 1 has highelasticity so that wrinkles or traces of folding are not generated inhigh elastic non-woven body 1 facing a room of an automobile duringdeep-draw-forming to make formed mat 10 have a shape following panel 5and to obtain superior outward appearance of formed mat 10. To preventhigh elastic non-woven body 1 from generating wrinkles or traces offolding, as a result of examination, inventors of the present inventionhave found out that it is preferable that formed mat 10 is structured soas to reach a recovery percentage of 70% or more (more preferably, 85%or more) in a folding test described below.

In this folding test, a test piece having a predetermined shape (25 mmin width and 100 mm in length) is initially picked out from formed mat10. And, a load is applied to the picked test piece to fold the pickedtest piece by 180 degrees around a straight line so as to face portionsof thin thermoplastic resin sheet 3, placed on a back surface of thetest piece, each other. The test piece is kept in a folded condition forfive minutes. Thereafter, the load used to fold the test piece isremoved. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the test piece is immediatelysupported at a folding line on sufficiently thin wire rod 11, and anopen angle α between portions of the back surface of the test piece ismeasured at a time after five minutes. A recovery percentage iscalculated according to an equation:ps recovery percentage(%)=(α/180)×100.

When this folding test is performed, as the elasticity of the test pieceis higher, a shape to which the test piece returns is nearer to anoriginal shape of the test piece and therefore, the open angle α becomeslarge. In contrast, when the elasticity of the test piece is low, ashape of the test piece hardly returns toward the original shape, andtherefore, the open angle α becomes small. Consequently, a recoverypercentage estimated based on this folding test can be preferably usedas a yardstick expressing elasticity of this type of fibrous material.

When making formed mat 10 have high elasticity so that its recoverypercentage estimated based on this folding test is sufficiently high,traces of folding and/or wrinkles are hardly generated on a surface offormed mat 10 even though formed mat 10 receives deep-draw-forming to beformed into a shape following an element having large uneven portionssuch as panel 5, especially, a floor panel of an automobile. Further, incase of formed mat 10 having a large area, when formed mat 10 is fittedin the inside of a room of an automobile, formed mat 10 should besometimes folded in order to put formed mat 10 into the room of theautomobile before fitting formed mat 10. Even in this case, foldingand/or wrinkles are hardly generated when the recovery percentage issufficiently high.

To form non-woven sheet having large thickness, low density, manycavities and high elasticity as above-mentioned, a method for formingthe sheet by twining fibers of small diameter together by needling issuitable. In this case, especially, use of regular polyester fibers of50 to 99% by weight and polyester type low melting point fibers of 1 to50% by weight is suitable, the regular polyester fibers having a fiberdiameter of 3 to 15 dtx and a length of 40 to 120 mm, the polyester typelow melting point fibers having a fiber diameter of 3 to 12 dtx and alength of 40 to 90 mm.

The regular polyester fibers are synthetic fiber and have high strength.High elastic non-woven body 1 can easily have high elasticity byemploying these fibers as a main material. In contrast, the polyestertype low melting point fibers serve to connect the regular polyesterfibers to one another at point portions thereof by slightly meltingduring a thermoforming process of formed mat 10. A mixture ratio betweenthe regular polyester fibers and the polyester type low melting pointfibers can be appropriately set within the range described above inaccordance with a required forming shape of formed mat 10 or requiredphysical properties of formed mat 10.

When the fiber diameter is too large, drawbacks occur that texturebecomes rough, transparency is easily generated, and shape-followingperformance during formation of a non-woven body deteriorates. On theother hand, when the fiber diameter is too small, needling of thembecomes difficult, elasticity is apt to become insufficient, and tracesof folding and wrinkles are easily generated. Therefore, the rangedescribed above is preferable on balance of these factors. When thefiber length is too long or short, a carding process becomes difficult,and it becomes difficult to obtain high elastic non-woven body havingpredetermined physical properties. Therefore, the range described aboveis preferable.

In the high elastic non-woven body 1 formed as the needle punchednon-woven body, the case may be particularly preferable where two ormore types of fibers having different fiber diameters, especially two ormore types of regular polyester fibers (in another case, nylon fibers,polypropylene fibers, or the like), are mixed together. Thereby, afunction for preventing generation of wrinkles and/or a function forheightening wear resistance can be given to fibers of larger diameter,and functions for forming a close texture and for preventing the bodyfrom becoming transparent can be given to fibers of smaller diameter. Asa result, it becomes possible to satisfy many required physicalproperties.

To form this type of high elastic non-woven body 1 which is 3.0 mm ormore (particularly, 5.0 mm or more) in thickness and has a sufficientlylow density, it is required to select most suitable fiber and to performmost suitable needling.

As such a needling technique, it is preferable that only a surface of aweb, which is a raw material of high elastic non-woven body 1, ispunched and made hard in a shallow and comparatively strong manner andneedling of an inner layer of the web is minimized. Thereby, highelastic non-woven body 1 having low density and high elasticity can beformed. More specifically, a barb can act on only fibers existing on thesurface of the web without acting on fibers of the inner layer of theweb by appropriately adjusting the setting of the barb of a needlingneedle, and the surface layer of the web can be strongly punched and bemade hard as compared with the inner layer. Further, wear resistance ofthe surface of the high elastic non-woven body 1 can be simultaneouslyimproved by the above action. High elastic non-woven body 1, which haslow density of less than 0.20 g/cm³ and high elasticity as in thisembodiment, cannot be formed by other methods, for example in a methodfor performing uniform needling for an area from the surface layer tothe inner layer.

Thin thermoplastic resin sheet 3 disposed on a back surface of highelastic non-woven body 1 has configuration of no opening and highdensity, and acts so as to suppress the entering of sound waves ofoutside noise to a room of an automobile from a side of panel 5 of theautomobile. Especially, formed mat 10 fitted on a floor panel isrequired to perform such action. This thermoplastic resin sheet 3 can beformed by forming thermoplastic resin (polyethylene resin or the like)in a sheet shape and applying the resin on a back surface of highelastic non-woven body 1.

It is preferable that this thin thermoplastic resin sheet 3 besufficiently thinned as compared with a thickness of high elasticnon-woven body 1. That is, in the examination of the present inventors,it has been found that it becomes difficult to expand thermoplasticresin sheet 3 in a draw-forming (or thermoforming) process whenthermoplastic resin sheet 3 is too thick. As a result, distortionremains in thick high elastic non-woven body 1 along a thick direction.Finally, this distortion emerges on a surface of formed mat 10 aswrinkles or folding. Accordingly, outward appearance of formed mat 10can be maintained preferably by sufficiently thinning thermoplasticresin sheet 3. Especially, thickness of thermoplastic resin sheet 3 is ⅓to ⅕ of thickness of high elastic non-woven body 1.

In a case where formed mat 10 is used as a floor mat of an automobile,feet of an occupant slightly sink in high elastic non-woven body 1 dueto its elasticity. Therefore, formed mat 10 receives a comparativelyhard friction with the feet of the occupant. Accordingly, especially ina case where formed mat 10 is used as a floor mat as described above, itis preferable that wear resistance surface layer 2 is formed on asurface of high elastic non-woven body 1 in order to suppress wear. In apreferable configuration, wear resistance surface layer 2 can be formedas a non-woven fabric containing (polyester type) low melting pointfibers at a ratio higher than those in other portions of high elasticnon-woven body 1 or as a non-woven fabric (100 to 300 g/m² or more inweight per unit area) containing regular polyester fibers of a diameterlarger than that of high elastic non-woven body, without largelychanging sound absorption performance.

Wear resistance surface layer 2 can be structured by fibers having acolor tone different from other portions of high elastic non-woven body1. In this case, a decorative pattern can be formed on a surface of wearresistance surface layer 2 by performing needling from a surface andpartially taking out some of fibers of high elastic non-woven body 1 tothe surface of wear resistance surface layer 2. Formation of thedecorative pattern is preferable because a design performance can beheightened. Further, an effect to make small wrinkles on the surfaceunnoticeable can be obtained.

Further, the inside of wear resistance surface layer 2 can be made in atwo-layer structure by forming wear resistance surface layer 2 into adual needle punched fabric.

Next, a method for forming formed mat 10 having the configurationdescribed above according to this embodiment into a shape followingpanel 5 of an automobile is described.

Forming Conditions

When formed mat 10 is formed, polyester type low melting point fibers(melting points from 110 to 130° C.) contained in high elastic non-wovenbody 1 and a layer of thermoplastic resin sheet 3 are softened inadvance by preheating. The preheating performed from both sides offormed mat 10 is appropriate to the present invention, and it is usefulto combine radiation heating from a side of a back surface of the formedmat and hot air heating from a side of a front surface of the formedmat. After such preheating, formed mat 10 in a partially softenedcondition is placed between a pair of press forming dies having a shapefollowing a panel placed at an attaching position, and draw-forming isperformed to make formed mat 10 have a required shape.

At this time, even if formed mat 10 is formed by using a pair of formingdies having a clearance smaller than a thickness of formed mat 10, thethickness of high elastic non-woven body 1 can sufficiently be recoveredafter formed mat 10 is taken out from the dies, by setting a compressionelastic modulus (JIS L-1096) of high elastic non-woven body 1 at a highvalue of 85% or more. Accordingly, by configuring elastic non-woven body1 such that it has sufficiently high elastic module, even if formed mat10 is fitted on panel 5 having large uneven portions, formed mat 10 canbe subjected to deep-draw-forming process while applying high pressureto formed mat 10 without loosing properties such as sound absorptionperformance of formed mat 10 so that formed mat 10 can be formed to havea shape suitably following panel 5.

Formed mat 10 described above according to this embodiment has superiorsound absorption performance because high elastic non-woven body 1 has acomparatively low density, has sufficient cavities therein, and has asufficient thickness. Further, formed mat 10 according to thisembodiment is superior in sound isolation performance becausethermoplastic resin sheet 3 having non-permeability of air and highdensity is layered. Formed mat 10 superior in sound absorptionperformance and sound isolation performance as described above isappropriate to a small automobile and a medium-sized automobile becausesuch properties are especially required in the small and medium-sizedautomobiles.

Moreover, because high elastic non-woven body 1 has high elasticity,formed mat 10 according to this embodiment is superior in cushionperformance and has soft touch feeling. Further more, this formed mat 10has high shape maintaining performance. Therefore, even if formed mat 10is fitted on a standing wall, a shape of formed mat 10 is hardlydisturbed. Still further, because this formed mat 10 has sufficientcavities and volume, formed mat 10 is superior in heat insulatingperformance.

Further, high elastic non-woven body 1 has low density and highelasticity. Therefore, generation of wrinkles and folding, which iseasily generated especially in a deep-draw-forming process in a priorart in a case where a layer having large volume for sound absorptionperformance is arranged, can be suppressed in formed mat 10 according tothis embodiment.

Next, an example of actually fabricating a formed mat according to thepresent invention are described with a comparative example of forming aformed mat compared with the fabrication example and a result ofcomparison estimation between the fabrication example and thecomparative example.

FABRICATION EXAMPLE

A needle punched non-woven body was fabricated as high elastic non-wovenbody 1 by employing short fibers having a composition shown in Table 1and by twining these fibers according to a needling process. At thistime, for 150 g/m² among a total weight per unit area of 650 g/m², wearresistance surface layer 2 was formed by mainly using polyester type lowmelting point fibers.

Low density polyethylene resin sheet (thickness of 0.4 mm) having aweight per unit area of 500 g/m² was stuck as thermoplastic resin sheet3 on a back surface of this high elastic non-woven body. Further,synthetic fiber felt (density of 0.055 g/cm³) having a thickness of 20mm was stuck as felt layer 4. In this way, formed mat of a fabricationexample was obtained.

COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE

As a comparative example, a non-woven body was formed while a fibercomposition was set to be the same as that of the fabrication example.However, as different points from the fabrication example, needling wasperformed in the fabrication example so as to punch a portion shallowfrom a surface, that is, punch a surface side in a comparatively strongmanner, while normal needling was performed so as to punch the wholeportion in the comparative example. As a result, a thickness of a formednon-woven body became a comparatively large value of 6.0 mm (density of0.10 g/cm³) in the fabrication example, while a formed non-woven bodywas thinned to a thickness of 3.0 mm (density of 0.20 g/cm³) so thatbalkiness performance and cushion performance deteriorated in thecomparative example.

A resin sheet and a felt layer (buffer material) to be stuck on a backsurface were fabricated in the same manner as those in the fabricationexample. In this way, a formed mat in the comparative example wasobtained. TABLE 1 thickness weight per fiber (dtx) × length mixture unitarea thickness density configuration (mm) ratio (%) (g/m²) (mm) (g/cm³)wear regular 6.6 × 64 90 150 fabrication fabrication resistancepolyester example example surface layer web 6.0 0.10 polyester 4.4 × 5110 comparative comparative type low example example melting 3.0 0.20point fibers main layer regular 6.6 × 64 25 500 (lower layer) polyesterweb polyester 4.4 × 51 30 type low melting point fibers regular 9.0 × 6445 polyester web

Estimation Method

Recovery Percentage

A recovery percentage against bending was estimated according to the180-degree folding test described above. In this case, test pieces werepicked out along a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction,respectively, and estimations were performed for each test piece.Further, a recovery percentage against compression was observed andestimated based upon JIS L 1096-1999 (recovery percentage in thicknessafter 5 minutes from a time at which initial load of 2 g/cm² and heavyload of 1000 g/cm²×5 minutes were applied,).

Forming Performance

The formed mat in each of the fabrication example and the comparativeexample was draw-formed into a shape following a floor of a smallautomobile having deep unevenness portion (maximum of 300 mm), andoutward appearance, shape following performance after forming, and thelike were estimated by a visual inspection.

Sound Performance

After formed mats in the fabrication example and the comparative examplewere formed as described above, each formed mat was fitted on a floor ofa small automobile, and a running condition reproduction test (smoothroad, constant speed running condition of 80 km/h) using a chassisdynamo was performed. At this time, a sound pressure measuring devicewas put at a position of an ear of an occupant in a room of anautomobile, and sound pressure at each of frequencies was measured.

Result of Estimation

Recovery Percentage

A recovery percentage against bending is shown in FIG. 4. In thefabrication example, a recovery percentage is above 90%. In contrast, arecovery percentage is below 70% in the comparative example. In thisway, a remarkable difference was shown. In this test, there was littledifference between a case of longitudinal direction and a case oflateral direction. Further, a recovery percentage against compressionwas about 95% in the fabrication example and was 90% or less in thecomparative example.

In this way, it was found that a plasticity property was strong in thecomparative example, but an elasticity property was heightened in thefabrication example.

Forming Performance

The formed mat of the fabrication example was able to be correctlyformed into a shape which suitably follows a shape of a deep unevennessportion. Further, problems about outward appearance such as wrinkles,traces of folding, and the like were not found.

In contrast, in the formed mat of the comparative example, afterforming, a portion for a standing wall is intended to be easily fallen.Further, in a deep-draw-formed portion, small traces of folding weregenerated on a surface of the mat, so that outward appearancedeteriorated.

Sound Performance

Sound pressure (SPL) of sounds ranging from 400 to 4000 Hz, which wasobserved in a condition that the formed mat of each of the fabricationexample and the comparative example was fitted, is shown in FIG. 2.

It was ascertained that sound pressure in a case of fitting the formedmat of the fabrication example was several dBA lower than that in thecomparative example. Especially, it is realized that a difference insound pressure between the fabrication example and the comparativeexample becomes large in a frequency range from 500 to 1250 Hz. Theseresults denote that sound absorption performance and sound isolationperformance in the formed mat of the fabrication example aresimultaneously improved as compared with in the comparative example, andnoises in a room of an automobile are suppressed by a synergistic effectbetween sound absorption performance and sound isolation performance.

1. A formed mat which is thermoformed so as to have a shape following aninside of a room of an automobile and is fitted so as to follow theinside of the room, the formed mat comprises: a high elastic non-wovenbody which is 3.0 mm or more in thickness, 300 g/m² or more in weightper unit area, and less than 0.20 g/cm³ in density; and a thermoplasticresin sheet which is layered on the high elastic non-woven body andwhich is thinner than the high elastic non-woven body.
 2. The formed mataccording to claim 1, wherein the high elastic non-woven body is aneedle punched non-woven body which has regular polyester fibers of 50to 99% by weight and polyester type low melting point fibers of 1 to 50%by weight, the regular polyester fibers having a fiber diameter of 3 to15 dtx and a length of 40 to 120 mm, and the polyester type low meltingpoint fibers having a fiber diameter of 3 to 12 dtx and a length of 40to 90 mm.
 3. The formed mat according to claim 2, wherein the needlepunched non-woven body contains, as the regular polyester fibers, two ormore types of fibers having different fiber diameters.
 4. The formed mataccording to claim 2, wherein a surface layer having wear resistance isformed in the needle punched non-woven body.
 5. The formed mat accordingto claim 4, wherein fibers constituting the surface layer having wearresistance has a color tone different from that of fibers constitutingother portions of the needle punched non-woven body, and a decorativepattern is formed by partially taking out the fibers constituting theother portions of the needle punched non-woven body onto a surface ofthe surface layer having wear resistance.
 6. The formed mat according toclaim 1, wherein a recovery percentage in a folding test is 70% or more,wherein the recovery percentage denotes a ratio of an open angle arounda folding line at a time when the formed mat is supported at the foldingline and is leaved after the formed mat is folded by 180 degrees arounda straight line so as to face portions of the thermoplastic resin sheeteach other, to an original 180 degrees.
 7. A formed mat thermoformed ina shape configured to be fitted inside a room of an automobile,comprising: an elastic non-woven body for sound absorption having athickness of 3.0 mm or more, a weight of 300 g/m² or more, and a densityof less than 0.20 g/cm³; and a thermoplastic resin sheet for soundisolation which is layered on the elastic non-woven body and which isthinner than the high elastic non-woven body.
 8. The formed mataccording to claim 7, wherein the elastic non-woven body is needlepunched and comprises: 50-99% by weight of regular polyester fibershaving a fiber diameter of 3-15 dtx and a length of 40-120 mm; and 1-50%by weight of polyester-type low-melting point fibers having a fiberdiameter of 3-12 dtx and a length of 40-90 mm.
 9. The formed mataccording to claim 8, wherein the non-woven body contains, as theregular polyester fibers, two or more types of fibers having differentfiber diameters.
 10. The formed mat according to claim 8, wherein thenon-woven body further comprises a surface layer having wear resistance.11. The formed mat according to claim 10, wherein the surface layer isconstituted by fibers having a color tone different from that of fibersconstituting other portions of the non-woven body, and a decorativepattern is formed on a surface of the surface layer by partially takingout the fibers constituting the other portions of the non-woven bodyonto the surface of the surface layer.
 12. The formed mat according toclaim 7, further comprising a felt layer layered underneath thethermoplastic resin sheet.
 13. The formed mat according to claim 7,which has a recovery percentage of 70% or more as measured by a foldingtest wherein a test piece of the formed mat is bent on a folding lineuntil portions of the thermoplastic resin sheet touch each other, and anangle α formed at the folding line between the portions of thethermoplastic resin sheet is measured after releasing the bent testpiece, wherein the recovery percentage is expressed as α/180°×100.